Children of the Ages
by frenziedquill
Summary: She was the daughter of an ancient wizarding bloodline. He was the hero who conquered her parents' Lord. They were never supposed to meet, but they did...and what ensued was a turning of tables, a challenge of prejudices, a war that became personal.
1. Prologue

_November 1, 1981_

It was well past midnight, and the world was drowning in darkness. The starless night was still, cold, and foreboding, disturbed only here and there by the distant call of a nightingale or the dry rustle of a fox moving through the weeds.

Horrible things had taken place that night, things no one wanted to talk about - not out in the open anyway. The night had been alive with patronuses and owl messages, each relaying the same bittersweet tale over again to loved ones, friends, family, in the sweet shelter of home.

But in the village of Heronby Hill, one home was not bothering with subterfuge in the slightest. The stately Calverdon Manor, long regarded by the other Heronby Hill residents as a "castle" of sorts and resting at the top of a grassy, sloping hill, was obviously awake, with light streaming from open windows and doors still unlocked. Anyone with the sense to question it was already asleep, however, and their choices went unnoticed.

Inside the manor, three adults were hunched over the long dining table, two women and a man, their heads bent forward in an earnest attempt to keep their voices down. A young boy, no more than 9 years old, was sprawled out on the floor nearby, fast asleep and swathed in blankets, while a nearby baby girl mumbled happily in her crib, oblivious to the adults' dark and urgent conversation.

"So, you are certain, then?" the dark-haired woman asked, her youthful eyes round. "He is, truly…" 

"Gone," the lone man confirmed grimly, and the woman gasped.

"So he is dead?" the second woman, who was the polar opposite of the other with her blonde hair and luminescent eyes, looked reverent and fearful all at once.

"We do not think so," The man adjusted his collar, his fingers nervously traversing the slick surface of the table. "He has lost power, for sure, but few on the inside believe that the Dark Lord is dead. I have been receiving messages all day; the Lestranges, the Malfoys, the Montagues…they all think he is still alive somewhere." 

"I can't understand it," the blonde woman said hoarsely. "What could possibly destroy the Dark Lord?" Her eyes traveled nervously to the window, then to the girl in the crib, who was now fascinated with her puffy pink feet. Her hands tightened around her wand.

"We don't know. He went to Godric's Hollow, to kill the Potters, and he did. But, when he came to the child, the curse…rebounded. The child survives, with only a scar, while our lord…is powerless."

"How?" The question was like a slapshot, louder than expected and startling the drowsy children out of fatigue. The dark-haired woman looked about desperately, her face etched with anger and paranoia. "How can a mere child escape the Dark Lord, while he has succeeded to kill all others in his past? I refuse to believe-"

"If I knew, I would tell you, Esta," the man replied, rubbing his eyes wearily. "All we know is that he is gone, the child survives, and most Death Eaters have gone into hiding." 

"Frederick, do you deem it wise…?" the blonde woman asked tentatively, her body tensed as if ready to flee into the night at a moment's notice, but the man shook his head slowly.

"I do not, Daphne. We have succeeded in staying under cover thus far, and even in this time have kept our stance a moderate secret." 

"I have told you a thousand times, keeping your allegiances undercover will only lead to harm when the Dark Lord rises again!" Esta snapped, her fist colliding with the table. "Or does your precious place in society mean more to you than everlasting safety in the care of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" 

"We have always been faithful to the Dark Lord!" Daphne moaned, her eyes quite bloodshot by now. She ran a hand through her hair and cleared her throat loudly. "We are Calverdons, descendants of Slytherin himself! How dare you accuse-" 

"She has the right to accuse," Frederick interrupted suddenly. "We have left too many questions unanswered, questions even the Dark Lord has been asking. But we are always faithful." His gaze shifted towards Esta. "We are not well known, not by any means. Our lives have only just begun. We have not firmly attained careers. For all of us to re-emerge into society as if nothing happened is not only, in my mind, the right thing to do, but necessary." 

The boy on the floor stirred, drawing the attention of all 3 adults.

"There is another reason," Daphne hissed. "Caius will be going to school in a few years. The little one, when she is old enough, too. We must think of the children." 

"Think of the ones you have killed! The enemies you have made! Your children will be going to school with their children, they will be bound to know, bound to find out the truth!" Esta was standing now, her face taut with anxiety.

"Obviously, when the Dark Lord returns, they will join him, Esta," Frederick replied smoothly. "We all will. They are too young to know now."

Esta stiffened, her hand resting on the back of her chair and her back arched at an angle so that she looked almost petrified.

"We will, of course, raise them in the ways of our family past," Daphne said confidently, her desperate manner all but falling from her slight frame. "We are, Dark Lord or not, Calverdons, and we shall act like it always."

"Fine." Esta reached for her long, black traveling cloak off the back of her chair and fastened it around her throat. "It's late. We should all be asleep by now. Lock your doors tonight, for Merlin's sake, and make sure no one gets in or out for the next few days, at least. I'll send word in the morning if I hear anything has changed." 

"Of course, sister," Daphne said sweetly, her eyes flecked with petulance as Esta made for the back door. "You treat us as if we were incompetent, stupid young people with no idea for safety. Surely you don't doubt our security?" 

Esta raised a mocking eyebrow and smiled with equal venom. "Surely not." She turned back to face the night and vanished, leaving behind her a trail of pure black vapor.

Daphne turned back to her husband and sighed. "We had best go to bed," She murmured halfheartedly, rising from her chair and going over to her daughter's crib. "No sense leaving the lights on, and you have an interview at the ministry tomorrow morning."

"If the ministry's even open tomorrow," Frederick rubbed his face briskly. "Everyone will probably be out, celebrating, making a show of themselves…" He watched blearily as his wife scooped up the baby from her crib and bounced her on her hip.

"I can't believe it," Daphne went on, now patting the baby's back gently. "He was so powerful, unstoppable, it seemed like nothing could harm him, and yet…suddenly, that child…" 

"Harry Potter." Frederick ejected the name as if it were sour wine.

"Yes, Harry Potter. How could he destroy the Dark Lord?" 

Frederick rose to join his wife, and they both looked down at their daughter's small, cherubic face, her blue eyes staring up at them in infantile wonder.

"Time will only tell, my dear, but for now, there is nothing we can do." he said grimly, his eyes wandering once again to the cold, still night. "All we can do is wait."

**A/N: And so we begin…Thanks to all who have taken interst in this story and have encouraged me to write it! Chapter 1 is on its way! Oh, yeah, and review, too! **


	2. Chocolate Frogs and New Friends

**Chapter One: Chocolate Frogs and New Friends**

"Where is it?"

Cassidra Calverdon stood on her tiptoes, peering over the throng of bustling carts in an attempt to catch a glimpse of any incoming trains.

Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder. "It will be here, Cassie, don't worry. The Hogwarts Express has never been late yet."

Cassidra glanced nervously to the large yellow clock hanging on the far brick wall, her brow creased. "Only fifteen minutes to eleven! What if it doesn't come, what if we can't get on-"

But her concerns were cut short as a high-pitched whistle sliced through the platform din, and a brilliant scarlet steam engine churned to a stop in front of the crowd. Cassidra clutched her trunk in anticipation, her knuckles paling to white around the handle.

There was a general surge forward as the Hogwarts Express hissed to a stop, and Cassidra made to follow, but her mother tightened her grip.

"Stay here, please, Cassie. You'll get on soon enough." Cassidra struggled a bit, but complied, her eyes still darting around in animation.

"Now, remember to keep your composure, let's not go losing our heads," Aunt Esta piped up suddenly. She had been nearly silent the entire trip to King's Cross, and had spent the entire time on Platform 9 ¾ looking about with an odd look on her face, as if she smelled something very bad. Cassidra just nodded, not really listening. After all, why should she care about composure when the Hogwarts express was only a few feet away from her?

Cassidra had been waiting for this day practically since Caius had come home from his first year at Hogwarts. Even though she had been very little, Cassidra could remember the amazing stories he had told about the magical castle and all the adventures to be had there.

"It's wonderful, Cassie," Caius had told her, rumpling her hair. "The ceiling looks like the sky, and there's Quidditch, and Slytherin is the best house! I hope you end up in Slytherin, Cassie, then it will be the whole family!"

"Do you have everything?" Cassidra's mother came around to face her. "Your books, robes, wand, everything?"

"Yes, Mum, of course I do," Cassidra replied impatiently. The train's whistle sounded again, and she tried to move forward.

"Cassie," Mother planted her firmly before her, her pale green eyes locking into Cassidra's blue ones. "Before you get on the train, I want to talk to you.

"You are a Calverdon. Remember that always. No matter where you go, who you meet, remember your heritage and who has come before you. We have a reputation, a history, and you are the latest in our family to go to Hogwarts." She paused and smiled at Aunt Esta, who was nodding in agreement. "Do us proud."

However, most of this speech as lost on Cassidra, who had become enthralled with the color-changing raven flying above Mum's head about the time she said "Remember your heritage." She simply nodded, her mind already moving onto the Hogwarts Express and settling down into her compartment with a stack of Cauldron Cakes.

The crowd was thinning by now, allowing Cassidra and her mother move forward, with Aunt Esta bringing up the rear. A good many people stared at them, their eyes focused mainly on Cassidra's mother with expressions of awe and recognition.

By the time they reached the train, it was nearly eleven o' clock. Aunt Esta hugged Cassidra, planting a kiss on her forehead and smiling. "Enjoy yourself, my dear," she said, smoothing Cassidra's dress absentmindedly. It was her favorite dress, blue with white pleats and a satin bow around the middle. She had gotten dressed up very nice this morning, even though Caius said most students came in muggle jeans and jumpers.

"Well, then I'll be the prettiest one, then," Cassidra had resolved.

"I'm sure your father and brother are very upset they couldn't come see you off," Aunt Esta added offhand, her dark eyes shifting to a young couple watching her with odd expressions. Esta gave a little toss of her head before turning back to her niece.

Cassidra just nodded. Daddy had left before she was even awake that morning, leaving a short note on her pillow wishing her the best of luck and lots of love. Caius, on the other hand, hadn't seemed too interested when he left for work that morning, more engrossed than ever in the Daily Prophet and muttering something about new pureblood tax laws. He had barely looked at Cassidra, even when she hurtled downstairs carrying her wand and waving it over her head like a torch. But that was all right, she decided, because he had told her so much about it years ago there wasn't need for any more talking.

"Well, it's no matter," Mother said briskly, planting a stiff kiss on Cassidra's cheek and patting her on the back. "I'll have him send an owl this evening up to the school so you can tell him all about your first day." The train whistle screeched yet again, causing Cassidra to jump and grab hold of the staircase.

"Goodbye, my dear," Mother said fondly as the train started up. "We'll see you at Christmas, then!"

Cassidra waved furiously until the train lurched forward, then turned back to the corridor and went to find a compartment. Most of them were already extremely full, occupied by all ages of students talking, laughing, and catching up on their summer holidays. Some were already wearing their Hogwarts robes. Caius had been right, nobody did dress up to get on the train.

Shouldering her trunk like a soldier, Cassidra made her way towards the back of the train. As she scanned the compartments, however, she realized more and more that none were empty. Not only that, there was not a single person she knew in any compartment. She got a funny feeling in her stomach then, like homesickness but bound up with nerves.

She would have to sit with a stranger.

Cassidra kept walking to the back until there was no farther to go, but by this time the crowds in the compartments had tapered off a good deal. She managed to find one in the very back only occupied by one person, a girl who looked to be about her age.

She slid open the door and marched in, dropping her trunk on the floor with a loud _clunk. _"May I sit here?" she asked, only slightly startling the girl across from her.

The other girl shrugged. "Of course, if you want to." Her shrewd brown eyes took in Cassidra's fancy blue dress with slight confusion.

Cassidra sat down with a sigh, looking around to take it all in. She glanced at the girl across from her, who was flipping through a small green volume at alarming speed. She had frizzy black hair running across her shoulders, and a wide flat nose sprinkled with pale freckles.

Now was as good a time as any to break the ice, Cassidra decided. Smoothing her dress out across her knees, Cassidra stuck out her hand cordially. "How do you do?"

The other girl looked a bit taken aback, and Cassidra was wondering if she was being too forward. Her mother had said to be polite, though, and had encouraged her to shake hands.

But in a moment, the girl reached out and took her hand. "Hello," she said tentatively. Her voice was low and sedate, very pleasant-sounding, she decided.

"Is this your first year at Hogwarts too?" Cassidra asked. The girl nodded, setting her book aside. Cassidra spied the title: _The History of Dragon-Hunting._

"My parents didn't think I was going to turn out magical, though," the girl confessed. "My father is muggle, and my mother isn't the strongest witch, so it was a bit of a surprise when I got my letter. But Mum was so pleased she bought me a cat…" She gestured to a large carrying case, which held a snoozing striped tabby inside. She turned back to Cassidra. "My name's Wendy, by the way. Wendy Ernherdst."

"Cassidra Calverdon," Cassidra sat a little straighter as she said this, trying to convey the "family pride" her mother always stressed.

Wendy's eyes widened, but only slightly. "Calverdon? I've heard that name before…doesn't your father work for the Wizengamont?

Cassidra nodded proudly, unable to keep the smile off her face. "Yes, he does. And my brother is senior assistant to the Minister of Magic."

"Merlin, my mum just works at the mountain troll communications office. It's the easiest job in the world, really, you just need to know how to draw symbols and shoot a stunning spell every now and then." Wendy rolled her eyes.

Cassidra laughed easily, relaxing a bit. Mother had told her that people may treat her differently because of her last name, but Wendy didn't seem to mind very much, a quality Cassidra soon found rather endearing. Instead, as the train rode on into the day, she seemed rather intent to settle in about living a nearly completely Muggle life, cats, her collection of chocolate frog cards, and Hogwarts, and Cassidra was content to listen.

"Mum was in Hufflepuff, that's probably where I'll end up," Wendy said as the afternoon sun began to fade. She stretched herself across the length of the bench and yawned. "How about you?"

"Slytherin, I hope," Cassidra said automatically. "Everyone in my entire family has ever been in Slytherin. My brother Caius said it's the best house. I hope that's where I go." She smiled proudly.

Something flashed behind Wendy's eyes before she responded, slightly uncomfortable. "Well, Slytherin is all right, I guess, I've just never known anyone who was in it who was-oh, are you going to buy anything?" Wendy gestured to the food trolley that had appeared outside the compartment.

Cassidra fished into her pocket for some Sickles and bought a stack of Chocolate Frogs before turning back to Wendy. "Never known anyone who wasn't what?" She pressed, tearing open the wrapper and biting off the frog's head.

Wendy didn't look up. "Nothing, nothing," she said quietly. "I…I thought people in Slytherin didn't like Half-bloods very much."

Cassidra's stomach tensed at this. She knew very well that this was true, for she knew quite a few people who treated Muggleborns and Half-bloods like second-class wizards. She had been there quite a few times, in fact, during her mother's teas and parties, when the topic of muggleborns came up. Mum's society friends, who were usually so prim and polite, got very nasty on this topic sometimes, and there was once an occurrence where Mrs. Audarius started shouting about scummy blood and Mum made Cassidra leave the room until the discussion was over.

After this had happened, Cassidra asked her mother why people mistreated half-bloods, when they were still wizards, after all. Her mother got very tight-lipped and told Cassidra that some people believed that pureblood families were the only families worthy of being called magical, but that the Calverdons had nothing to worry about because they were completely pure-blooded, and asked her not to sit in on tea anymore with the ladies. Cassidra still didn't understand what everyone got so upset about; a wizard was a wizard, after all, so long as they could get sparks to come out of their wand it didn't matter what kind of blood they had. But her mother didn't want to discuss the topic any further, so she kept her ideas to herself.

"Well, I don't care," Cassidra said very loudly, causing Wendy to jump. "Just because you're a Half-blood doesn't mean you're not a good witch. And even if you're not in Slytherin with me, we can still see each other in classes."

Wendy brightened considerably at this. "Yes, of course! I mean, we can't sit at the same tables but we could probably come up with a place to leave notes for each other, there are a lot of secret passageways and hidden nooks around the school…" And she was off again.

The sun was beginning to set by now, and Cassidra realized they had been riding for longer than she had expected. Just as she was about to suggest they change into their school robes, Wendy spoke up eagerly.

"So have you heard?" Her voice was urgent, as if there was a secret she was bursting to tell.

Cassidra looked up from the chocolate frog cards she was sorting. Just this afternoon she had gotten Babayaga, Agrippa, Ethelred the Ever-Ready, Circe, and Herpo the Foul (This one she considered throwing away because his drooping smile and unpleasant smell were making Cassidra queasy) "Heard what?"

Wendy widened her eyes and leaned in for effect before whispering the news: "_Harry Potter _is in our year. The Boy Who Lived, coming to Hogwarts with us!" She leaned back, obviously pleased with herself. "Didn't you know that?"

Cassidra paused. She knew who Harry Potter was, of course – he had defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and reduced his power when he was only a baby, therefore a hero of the Wizarding World – but she hadn't heard anything else about him, ever. Her parents didn't talk about it, saying that, no matter how wonderful it was that the Dark Lord was gone at last, the Potters' deaths were a tragedy and the night they died should not be talked about with happiness.

"I heard he was raised by _muggles,_" Wendy went on, not noticing Cassidra's silence. "And that he didn't know he was a wizard until very recently, and-"

"Twenty minutes!" The conductor was pacing up and down the corridors, holding a pocket watch. "We have twenty minutes until we reach Hogwarts!"

"We'd better get dressed," Cassidra said suddenly, cutting off Wendy's speech. A knot of excitement and worry was beginning to tighten in her stomach. She and Wendy hustled out of the compartment, hugging their robes to their chests-for the moment, they simply held the Hogwarts crest, not yet adorned with the colors of their respective houses. Cassidra stared hard at hers, wishing and imagining them lined with pine green and silver, just like Caius'. It was really happening then, she really was going to Hogwarts!

**A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed/favorited this story and placed it on story alert! I was really surprised! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story...please, please review! (Oh, I own very little of this, only Cassidra, the Calverdons, Wendy, and a few scattered OCs)**


	3. The Sorting

**A/N: I have forgotten up to this point to thank my fantastic beta, Naomi Hansen, for all the help she has given me with CoA so far ;) So, thanks!**

**Hogwarts and most of its students belongs to Jo Rowling. Cassidra, Wendy and crew belong to moi.**

Chapter Two: The Sorting

It was dark by the time the Hogwarts Express pulled up the platform. Cassidra tried to see the castle in the distance, but it was completely hidden by the hulking growth of trees stretching for miles all around them. Students spilled out of the train in droves, laughing and chattering amiably. Cassidra and Wendy stumbled out of their compartment, looking every inch the lost children they were.

Above the din of the platform, a rough voice was audible. "Firs' years over here, all firs' years this way!" Cassidra turned to see a giant of a man with wild black hair, standing at the edge of the platform carrying a flickering lantern. In the darkness, his face seemed etched with thousands of mysterious lines.

"Oh! That's right! Caius told me the first years get to go to the castle in the boasts, across the lake," Cassidra said, pulling Wendy by the arm through the thickening crowd. She tried to focus her attention on the bobbing lantern light ahead of her, but she was continually jostled and pushed out of the way by older students. Wendy was really no help, getting her foot caught in the hem of robes once and knocking into a disgruntled Gryffindor girl. Finally, the light grew to the point where Cassidra could see the boats shifting merrily in the lake, along with the giant man ushering a cluster of other first-years to the edge of the water.

"Easy, easy there, four to a boat," he was saying, his dishpan-sized hands waving as if conducting traffic. Cassidra let go of Wendy's arm as they marched up to the boats behind two boys – one with black hair, the other with fiery red. They were having a fast-paced discussion in hushed voices, yet Cassidra couldn't help but overhear.

"…but there hasn't been a decent wizard who was in Slytherin," the red-haired boy was saying in a dark, awed voice. "You-Know-Who was in it, and –"

"Excuse me!" Cassidra shouted, positively scandalized. The two boys turned around, bewildered, as Cassidra planted her hands on her hips and scowled.

"I'll have you know that my whole entire family has ever been in Slytherin, and we turned out _just fine,_" Cassidra looked at the two boys haughtily. The one with red hair looked slightly humiliated, the tips of his ears turning pink. But the other boy, who was wearing round glasses and had very bright green eyes, was watching Cassidra with a bemused expression.

"I was…I was…" the red-haired boy stuttered, but Cassidra was already marching away.

She had expected some of this, of course. Her mother had told her that some wizarding families didn't like the Slytherins very much, because a few bad wizards who had done great harm had come from there. "Be that as it may, it is still the most illustrious of all four Hogwarts houses and you must remember to keep your head high, no matter what other students say, because if they dislike Slytherin it is only because they are misguided or jealous. Besides, what house you are in does not matter in the end, it is who you are and what your blood says."

"Are you alright?" Wendy, who had been engrossed with the murky shadows glinting under the lake, hadn't heard Cassidra's outburst.

"Yes, I'm fine," Cassidra muttered, following Wendy to an empty boat. Her anger was ebbing, replaced by a fresh onslaught of nerves as she sat down. Two other girls got in the boat after her; a tall, tawny-eyed one with sleek dark hair, and a short red-haired girl with round cheeks and bright blue eyes. The red-haired girl looked as anxious as Cassidra felt, while the taller one looked rather bored, sitting plank-straight and staring perfunctorily into the water below.

Suddenly, the giant man got into his own boat and looked around at the cluster of first years, sitting somewhat expectantly in the moonlight as the water churned beneath them.

"Right, we're startin' up the castle now," he bellowed, lowering his lantern. He shifted his gaze to a boat on the far left of him, smiling at whoever was inside. Cassidra followed his eyes and realized with a start that it was the two boys she had just yelled at minutes ago.

Wendy, who had seen the boat too, gave a shriek as the boats started off down the lake.

"Cassidra, _that's Harry Potter!" _Wendy clutched Cassidra's arm and pointed frantically to the black-haired boy with glasses. "_The Boy Who Lived! _He's right there! Oh, I can't believe it!"

Cassidra sat, stunned and slightly humiliated, watching the boy smile back at the giant. A snatch of anger flared up in her stomach. So, the Boy Who Lived was a Slytherin hater, was he? True, he hadn't said anything personally about You-Know-Who being in Slytherin, but –

"Harry Potter?" The red-haired girl sitting across from Cassidra stood nearly all the way up, her eyes shining and mouth hanging open. "So it's true? He really is coming to Hogwarts?"

As Wendy joined her in animated conversation about the spectacle that was Harry Potter, the girl sitting next to her caught Cassidra's eye and shook her head, a bemused smile on her lips. She obviously thought this conversation and excitement was below her, and was under the impression by Cassidra's silence that Cassidra thought so too.

The boats glided silently through the black waters, the stars in the sky very nearly the only light in the sky for miles. Then –

A great gasp drew up from the assorted first years as the boats drew around a steep bend, the scrubby trees and bushes finally bowing out of the sky to give way to their first view of the Hogwarts castle.

All talk immediately ceased across the boats as everyone gazed, openmouthed, at the sweeping, glimmering castle. Its stately towers seemed to glow in the moonlight, reinforcing the idea that the castle was nothing more than a vivid dream. Cassidra felt her stomach drop in awe, her eyes failing to leave the spectacle of marble and magic so near her.

Wendy elbowed Cassidra sharply, a wide smile digging into her features. She said nothing, but she didn't need to. They were here, and that was all that mattered.

A few more minutes in the boats seemed like an eternity of waiting before they finally pulled to a stop. Everyone scrambled out of the boats, talking in awed voices and giggling nervously. Wendy scrambled after Cassidra, who didn't realize she was walking so quickly until she looked back and realized she was leading the entire procession. She slowed up a bit to walk with the rest of the crowd while the giant loped ahead, stopping at a pair of great oak doors and pounding on them with a heavy fist, resulting in a crash as loud and climactic as thunder.

Seconds later, the doors flew open and a short, austere-looking woman stepped out into the night. She wore large square glasses that glinted in the torchlight, and was draped in robes the color of dull emeralds.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," the giant beamed proudly, turning and winking at the cluster in general, as is they were all in on a massive joke, and this unsmiling teacher was the brunt of it.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." The giant turned his massive back at once and strolled into the dark forest, soon enshrouded completely by mist.

"Well, come inside, then," yhe woman, who Cassidra assumed to be Professor McGonagall, ushered them inside, where they were immediately enveloped by a gust of warm air and an eyeful of new surroundings. Gilded portraits cluttered the halls, their inhabitants casting a curious eye over the sea of anxious heads shuffling down the corridor. As they reached a wide pair of double doors, Professor McGonagall turned to face them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," She said in a crisp, professional tone. Her beady eyes swept over the huddle. "The Sorting Ceremony will take place in front of the rest of the school in just a few moments. Wait here quietly, and I will come to take you into the hall." With these last words, she swept into a chamber to the far side of the wall and returned seconds later carrying a stool and a very dirty, rather large brown tumble of cloth. _The Sorting Hat, _Cassidra realized with a jump.

Possibly more anxious than before, the first-years crept forwards to the door of the Great Hall, which swung open on their own to reveal a sight possibly more amazing and unexpected than the first sight of Hogwarts.

Cassidra felt her eyes widen as she gazed around her impossible surroundings. The ceiling was shining with the same stars as outside, possibly made brighter still from the thousands of magic floating candles bobbing above the four massive House Tables. Talk throughout the Great Hall began to taper off as the older students watched the first-years move down the aisles.

Professor McGonagall stopped at the front of the Great Hall, setting down the stool and setting the dirty, fraying Sorting Hat on top of it. With this, a few of the first years broke out in murmuring again, trying to figure out what to make of this hat. Ignoring the talk, Professor McGonagall pulled out a thin roll of parchment, cleared her throat, and peered at the first name on the paper.

"Calverdon, Cassidra!" Professor McGonagall's voice rang throughout the hall, sending a thrill of fear through Cassidra's little body like a lightning strike. Legs wobbling, Cassidra approached the stool, placed herself on it, and allowed the Sorting Hat to fall over her eyes.

It was a few dark, musty moments before a small voice murmured silkily in her ear.

"_Fascinating…._" The Sorting Hat hissed. "I sense intelligence, an eagerness to learn and work hard…yes, yes…a deep desire for attention, very deep….and, what's this? Oh yes…much bravery, overwhelming loyalty and dedication…Gryffindor qualities, for sure…"

In spite of herself, Cassidra let out a small gasp. _No, please…._she thought frantically, her fingers tightening around the edges of the stool. _Please, please let me be in Slytherin…_

The Sorting Hat chuckled.

"You _want to be in Slytherin…_ and can I ask why? Don't tell me," It answered its own question before Cassidra could even compose a reply. "You're a Calverdon, that's it, all your family's been in Slytherin. Want to live up to the family name, don't you?"

_Yes_, Cassidra reasoned desperately. _I have to go there, I just have to! _She realized, even then, that she was begging, something her mother had often chided her about. But this was different – surely it was more important she got into the same house as everyone else, wasn't it?

Suddenly, she was worried, horrible thoughts racing after each other in her mind. What if all her preparation was for nothing? After all, she never really _had_ been secured a place in her family's old house – she'd just assumed, because she was a Calverdon. But was she now doomed to be the "different" one, the family outcast who was in the house of Slytherin's enemy, Gryffindor?

"But you would wonderful in Gryffindor – why, you have every quality Godric Gryffindor prized in his students. Don't you want to go there?'"

Hot dread was churning in Cassidra's stomach. _N-no, _she thought feebly, one last attempt at reason. _Please, I have to be in Slytherin._

"Well, then, if you insist…SLYTHERIN!" The Sorting Hat bellowed every last syllable with exaggerated force, his decision ringing off the polished walls.

Sheer relief closed over Cassidra as she slid off the stool and went to join the Slytherin table, her heart thudding wildly in her chest. The older Slytherins clapped loudly and moved over along the benches and Cassidra sat down to watch the remainder of the Sorting.

Wendy, who was called up soon after, was placed in Hufflepuff without a moment's hesitation. As she walked to her House table, she caught Cassidra's eye, gave her a small, apologetic smile, and sat down near the beaming Fat Friar.

The Sorting was rather quick, under the circumstances, or perhaps that was just Cassidra's adrenaline fading away. The names flew by quickly, most blending together with unimportance; "Foster," "Finley," "Granger"…

Just when Cassidra was starting to get bored (Only one other boy had been sorted into Slytherin so far,) Professor McGonagall called up "Harrington, Francesca!" and the tawny-eyed girl from earlier sauntered up to the bench, her face arranged in the same bored and slightly dauntless expression she had worn on the boat. The hat was lowered onto her head, and pondered to itself a few quiet moments before announcing, "SLYTHERIN!"

Cassidra joined in with the others as they applauded the new arrival. Francesca allowed herself a satisfied smile as she sat down at the table, her back arched with poise Cassidra had not seen on anyone except Aunt Esta. Cassidra noticed she was not the least bit pale or shaky. _The Sorting Hat probably knew right away she should be in Slyhterin, _she thought with a stab of bitterness. It was still bothering her. Caius had boasted that the Sorting Hat had barely touched his head before it decided to place him in Slyhterin, and Father had once said that the Sorting Hat could "easily recognize a Calverdon, almost as if it could read our blood." Why, then, had it argued so long on putting Cassidra in Gryffindor?

She snapped out of her reverie just in time to see Alice McCallum, the redhead from the boats, become a Ravenclaw. The Sorting was winding down now, with only a few students left. Locke Prescott, Gryffindor…David Petty, Ravenclaw…

"Potter, Harry!"

A twinge of familiarity sprang up in Cassidra's mind as the dark-haired, bespectacled boy approached the stool. A sea of murmurs was springing up around the Great Hall, somehow missing the Slytherin table altogether. Cassidra noticed the Slytherins were the only students who weren't staring at Harry with awe and surprise, but rather animosity and dislike. Meanwhile, Harry himself was sitting underneath the Sorting Hat for quite a while, nearly as long as Cassidra had, before it decided upon: "GRYFFINDOR!"

As cheers exploded from the Gryffindor table and Harry went to sit with them somewhat sheepishly, Cassidra caught several eye-rolls and sneers passing between the older students around her.

"Famous Harry Potter…"

"Hasn't done anything, special, really…"

"Not for _our kind,_ anyways…"

Cassidra was about to ask what they meant by "our kind," but just then Bridgette Williams became a Slytherin, Professor McGonagall took the Sorting Hat away and a tall, elderly man in opulent robes stepped in front of the assembled students. It was obviously Dumbledore, Cassidra reasoned, for she had seen those half-moon spectacles and the sweeping white beard on countless Chocolate Frog cards and Ministry appearances Father took her to.

"Welcome!" he said in a grand, not unpleasant voice. "I welcome all of you to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

The students clapped as Dumbledore returned to his seat. Cassidra noticed very few Slytherin were clapping, instead muttering to each other once again. They were probably just very hungry and were ready for the feast to begin.

Thankfully, there was not much a wait at all, for immediately after Dumbledore sat down the tables sprang up with piles of magically summoned food of every variety. Even though Cassidra had been to some very fancy dinners and parties with her parents in the past, she had never seen so such extravagant food in one place.

She piled her plate with everything she could reach, realizing now how extremely hungry and happy she was. She had gotten into Slytherin, after all – with a little bargaining, however – and had made a new friend. And aside from that, she was at Hogwarts, at last, after all the years of watching Caius ride away on the Hogwarts Express, wishing for her time to come. And now it had.

**A/N: I'm looking for anyone who is Photoshop/art inclined to volunteer to help make a banner for this story. I have all the details and ideas for one, and if you're interested PM me. I will post the banner on my profile.**

**Anyway, so yeah! Some OCs are starting to come round...thanks to SonataofHades for Alice McCallum and astronauts for Francesca Harrington, more are on the way, I promise. Anyway, one last thing...REVIEW! **


	4. Francesca

**A/N: Sorry for the slow update, been busy...but no matter. Just one quick shout-out to Rosa Clearwater for making my aforementioned CoA banner! Check it out over my profile...I dedicate this chapter to her!  
><strong>

Chapter Three: Francesca

The feast lasted a good thirty minutes longer, the majority of which was spent on Cassidra's half gazing around her, taking in everything from the elaborate marble columns lining the walls to the equally fascinating professors at the High Table, talking contentedly among themselves. The other members of Cassidra's table were engrossed in their own personal conversations, catching up on summer happenings and laughing at personal jokes. A select few of them Cassidra recognized from her parents' parties, but none of them seemed keen to acknowledge her knowing smiles.

_Most likely, they just don't want to talk to the ickle first years in front of their big grown-up friends_, Cassidra decided after Carla Embray, who had once taught her how to tell the difference between margarine and bogey Every-Flavor Beans, turned a cold shoulder on her cheerful wave.

But it was no matter, whether or not they were interested in her at all, because Cassidra was far too fascinated with the school itself and all that had happened in the last few hours. Besides, the dessert course had started, and it was a well-known fact among all Hogwarts students that you can't dwell on anything once the school's pumpkin pie shows up on your plate.

After the food finally faded from the magical gold plates, Dumbledore returned to the podium to give a few final announcements, mostly involving Quidditch tryouts and off-limits corridors and notices that could not have interested Cassidra any less.

By now, her restless imagination, having been appeased by the sensation of the castle and the Great Hall, was forming a picture of the Slytherin Common Room, which Caius had once told her was under the lake. She could just picture all her future school days, curled up in a chair by the enchanted fire, working on essays and talking with her friends.

Once Dumbledore finally gave the students leave to head back to their dormitories, Cassidra leapt back from her seat and followed the swarm of bustling robes out of the Great Hall and into the well-lit corridor. She saw Wendy, who was now walking between two first year Hufflepuff girls, all of them laughing very hard at something Wendy had just said. As she watched them whirl away, Cassidra realized with a slight pang that she had not formally introduced herself to any of the other Slytherins in her year, and was already behind in making new friends.

Well, that would have to come later, Cassidra decided hastily as she ran to catch up with the rest of her house, which was moving in the opposite direction of everyone else. She noticed the Slytherins were moving in a tight, compressed clump, all speaking in low, conspiratorial voices as if passing on extremely secret information.

A few pearly ghosts were following them at a distance, their dark, silent eyes watching the students with mournful, tired expressions. One in particular caught Cassidra's eye. It was a young girl, which was why it was so different. Most ghosts Cassidra had seen in the great hall were very old and fat, but this one looked old enough to still be in school if she was alive.

She was wearing a long black dress, her pale blonde hair spilling down her shoulders and back like water. She was very beautiful, with sharp, angular features, brooding dark eyes, and a disturbingly familiar frown creasing her lips. Above all, she seemed to be watching Cassidra, something like interest in her doleful expression. Trying not to look at the odd ghost, Cassidra remembered what Caius had said about the school spirits – "They don't like to be disturbed, most of the time, and a lot of them will try to hoist you out a window if you ask them about their deathday" – and decided to move a little faster.

A few more minutes' walk found Cassidra standing in front of a blank stone wall, slightly confused. Didn't some sort of statue, or portrait, or something guard all the entrances? Wasn't there a password?

As she was about to voice her concerns, a tall thin man in billowing black robes swept forward. Cassidra knew instantly that this was Professor Snape, the head of Slytherin House and the potions professor. She had overheard her mother mentioning him several times, as he knew Aunt Esta and several of Mother's friends from social events. Caius had mentioned that he usually gave Slytherins extra house points on everything.

Instead of speaking to the students, possibly to give them a welcome back to school or, in the first years' case, congratulate them on being sorted into Slytherin, Professor Snape merely turned to the blank wall and said, somewhat lazily, "_Anguis Oculos." _ Almost instantly, the wall slid away to reveal a lavish, dimly-lit room full of elegant high-back chairs surrounding a crackling fire. The windows glowed faintly with the reflection of the moonlit lake water, casting greenish light across the low, stone ceiling. _The Slytherin common room_, Cassidra thought with excitement. My _common room._

Without further ado, the Slytherins strode inside, scattering almost instantly to go to their particular dormitories. Cassidra followed the rest of the first-year girls across the hall until they came to a door marked FIRST YEAR GIRLS. The room itself was surprisingly roomy, furnished with several four-poster beds all with green spreads. Cassidra chose one nearest to the window, where she would have a beautiful view of the lake, although she couldn't see anything now since the night had stained the water black.

Heaving her trunk onto the mattress, Cassidra looked around at the other girls in her dormitory; she had not realized that four other girls had been sorted into Slytherin as well. She must not have been paying attention. She set about unpacking her pajamas and books, taking special care as she placed her wand on the bedside table - eleven inches, cottonwood, with a dragon heartstring core. Getting her wand was the best part of going to school, Cassidra had decided. That splendid day in Diagon Alley came rushing back to her – how Mother and Caius had come along with her and helped her pick out all that she needed for classes, Caius holding onto her hand like he did when they were younger – and Cassidra couldn't help but feel a swift pang of homesickness as she closed her trunk and stuffed it under the bed.

"It's Cassidra, is it?"

A sharp voice sounded behind Cassidra, who turned quickly to find herself looking at Francesca Harrington, the girl who had been made a Slytherin after her. She was much taller up close, her dark brown glinting like molten chocolate in the dim lamplight. She was wearing the same robes Cassidra was, yet somehow they seemed to fit differently on her.

"Yes, it is," Cassidra wiped her somewhat damp palms on her robes in anticipation of a formal introduction, but Francesca didn't seem interested in shaking hands. Instead, she merely scanned Cassidra from feet up, as if making a mental note on her appearance. Her shrewd eyes fell upon the gleaming pin Cassidra had slipped onto her collar before the feast: a thin gold snake circling a bold letter C skewered with a sword – the Calverdon family crest.

"So you _are _a Calverdon," Francesca said slowly. Something in her tone made Cassidra tense – a lazy sort of disbelief. "I though I heard wrong during the Sorting, but obviously not. I'm Francesca Harrington, by the way. Your parents probably already know my parents, we're a very old pureblood family."

In actuality, Cassidra had never heard the Harrington name mentioned once by anyone in her family, nor by anyone she knew, but saying this would not be a good way to start the conversation.

"Yes, of course," Cassidra lied, adjusting the pin nervously. The other first-year girls were assembling behind Francesca, giving Cassidra the distinct impression that she was outnumbered.

"I was rather surprised when I saw you sitting next to that twitchy Hufflepuff," Francesca went on, her eyes never leaving Cassidra. "I thought witches of _our _status_,_" she gestured between herself and Cassidra, "put a little more time into making the right kind of friends. None of that mudblood riffraff – "

"She's half -blood!" Cassidra shouted, surprising even herself at the pitch of her voice. Her hands were starting to sweat all over again. Suddenly she wished Wendy was next her right now, even though the conversation was about her and she had just been called a mudblood. None of the other girls were saying a word, but were watching Cassidra and Francesca with frightened interest.

Francesca raised a bemused eyebrow. "Oh, sorry, didn't know she meant that much to you," She said without a trace of apology in her voice. "I just assumed…since you _were _a Calverdon…" She looked around loftily at the other girls, then smiled. "But Wendy's not a Slytherin, is she? I am. We are. And do you know what that means?"

Cassidra just stood there, feeling stupid and slightly mortified at her outburst. This night was taking a very nasty turn. Francesca just went on.

"We're the real witches. Slytherins have the most assured blood heritage, that's why we're here. We're family now. We can't really be seen with other members of other houses, can we?"

The other girls nodded vigorously. Cassidra continued to stand in silence. Funny, just hours ago she had been shouting at some sheepish red-haired boy for saying nearly the same sort of thing. But here, now, she couldn't get her mouth to move. She wanted to stick up for Wendy, to say that she honestly didn't care about anyone's blood status, and that Wendy was her friend, not Francesca Harrington, who was probably not from an old wizarding family at all.

Unfortunately, Francesca mistook Cassidra's silence for agreement, and offered her a real, warm smile.

"See? It's all right, then. I don't suppose you've met the others?"

She hadn't, and was then dazedly shaking hands with Bridgette Williams, a short, blonde haired girl who gushed about Cassidra's shoes; Emiliana Canvaluccio, who responded to Cassidra's handshake in a pompous, regal sort of manner as if they were two royals first meeting; and Verbena White, who watched Cassidra with a kind of fearful fascination as she passed, as if she feared Cassidra was going to jump out and bite her at any minute.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Francesca announced once the introductions were all over. Cassidra felt, even though they had exchanged names and handshakes, that the other girls in her dormitory were not very taken with her yet. But she wasn't really sorry, because they had insulted Wendy, and Wendy had been her first friend, not them.

Everyone scattered to change into their pajamas, Cassidra taking the longest to do so. She tried avoid eye contact with the other girls, who were very openly watching her and muttering to one another, presumably about Cassidra. She could feel hot tears of humiliation boiling under her closed eyelids, but she swiped them away quickly and got into bed, turning her head to the pillow so no one could see her.

"Good night, everyone," Francesca said in a singsong voice, turning off the lamp next to her four-poster. "Watch out for the Bloody Baron and the Stone Girl," she added ominously as darkness swallowed the room.

The room was silent for a moment, before Bridget's high, slightly tremulous voice asked the question everyone was silently wondering: "Who?"

Francesca sighed, then said in a superior tone, "The Bloody Baron is the Slytherin ghost. He's covered in chains and blood and haunts the astronomy towers. He's not someone you want to cross, especially at night." She paused for a moment, letting her words stir up fear in the darkness, before continuing.

"And the Stone Girl…she's the girl in the long black dress, who stares at people and follows them around. I heard that if she sets eyes on you for long enough and you look into her eyes, you'll die by the end of the year." Francesca's voice faded into a hushed whisper. Without meaning to, Cassidra flashed back to the tall, lovely ghost that had followed her down the corridor just half an hour ago. Had their eyes met for long enough? Had she really been setting her sights on Cassidra? Was she now pegged to die?

Someone let out a low shriek, followed by a weak chuckle.

"That's not true," Emiliana's voice came now. "If she were really that dangerous, she wouldn't be at Hogwarts, would she?"

Speculation followed from the other girls for some time, but Cassidra wasn't listening. How odd it seemed, even then, that she had been so thrilled to finally be at Hogwarts, yet at this moment all she wanted was her mother to hold onto her and assure her things would be all right, or at least Wendy to give her some support. The pent up fear, anger, happiness, exclusion, and jealousy of the day were becoming too much to handle, threatening to overtake her if Cassidra didn't do anything about it.

So she did. While the rest of the school settled into their warm beds, lazily awaiting the exciting beginning of another year, Cassidra Calverdon lay huddled under her emerald blankets, crying herself softly to sleep.

**A/N: Thanks to EssaTheTwerp for Verbena White, astronauts for Emiliana Canvaluccio (and Francesca Harrington)and CarraOlivia for Bridgette Williams. Ah, the OC flood is starting to pour in! Just want to send a quick shout-out to all who submitted characters...my desk is literally flooded with all the OC information, as well as charts and whatnots figuring out where they go. I refuse to take this thing lightly-you have entrusted me with your characters, and I will strive to do them justice. I may have to tweak them a bit, though, to make them work...oh, but I ramble. More reviews, faster updates!**


	5. The Color of Smoke

**A/N: I can't believe I haven't updated in over a month! My humblest apologies; it's just been really hectic recently. Not to worry, I promise updates won't usually be this slow! Anyhow, this capter goes to 0GoddessNyx0 for giving me my 30th review, thereby making this my most reviewed story (36 now!) Of course, you can rememdy this by checking out my other stories (hint, hint...) But anyway. ONto the story!**

Chapter Four: The Color of Smoke

Cassidra awoke the next morning feeling considerably calmer, her mind emptied of overwrought worries and her face tingling with the cool buzz of having had a good cry. The morning sun was filtering through the lake water, illuminating the dormitory with a sparkling jade-green. The other girls were waking up as well, Francesca already pulling on her robes and shoes. Her back was to Cassidra, so she could not see Francesca's expression, but Cassidra was fairly certain she had not forgotten the conversation they had had the night before. Trying to ignore this thought, she quickly pulled on her robes and hurried to the washroom to brush her hair and teeth. By the time she returned, all the other girls had left.

Ignoring the glaring abandonment, Cassidra grabbed her wand off the bedside table and slid it down her sock, the way Caius always did when he was younger. "Won't it break in there?" Cassidra had asked him when she first saw him whip it out from under his pant leg. Caius had simply winked. "Gives you the element of surprise," he'd explained.

Cassidra felt a small lump forming in her throat at the thought of Caius again, but she briskly swallowed it down and ran down towards the Great Hall. Now was no time to be homesick – there was far too much to prepare for.

Navigating the halls of Hogwarts was tricky. Not only were the labyrinthine hallways all identical in design, but the staircases and doors tended to shift and vanish at the most inconvenient times. The last thing Cassidra wanted was to be late for the first breakfast in the Great Hall.

Just as Cassidra was wondering whether any of the talking portraits might give her some directions, she spotted a pair of older Gryffindor girls hurrying down the hallway. Figuring they were going to the Great Hall as well, Cassidra hurried to follow them, trying to stay at a comfortable distance but still not lose track of them. They had their heads bent together in an attempt to keep quiet, but they weren't doing a very good job, as Cassidra could hear every word they said as she came up behind them.

"It's only the first day of school, and already Filch caught her in the corridor last night with that Oliver Cannon from Ravenclaw," the taller of the two was snickering, her long black hair swishing smartly behind her as she walked. "It was actually Peeves who found them out; Aurela was going to die of humiliation the way he went zooming through the halls bellowing their names…" She paused abruptly, stopping in her tracks and whirling around so quickly Cassidra didn't realize what was happening.

Years later, Cassidra would be haunted by what happened in the next second. What was then a simple, almost careless movement on the Gryffindor's part would later be one of Cassidra's harshest memories, a gateway to so much revelation that she would never see coming.

It was simple, really: the Gryffindor girl's cerulean gaze dropped down to the Calverdon crest pinned to Cassidra's robes. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and her mouth twitched at the corners, twitching with something like horror – _like fear_.

But only for a moment.

"Don't look now, but someone's following us," The dark-haired girl sneered, her features melting into an expression of strong distaste. Cassidra felt heat rise in her cheeks as she shrank under the scornful gaze of the two girls.

"What do you want?" she continued in a low snarl. Cassidra tried to look suitably innocent, despite the fact that her face was now properly aflame. Hadn't Caius warned her specifically _not_ to bother the older students, not until she knew how to master a proper hex at least?

"Spying on us for the rest of your filthy house? Trying to figure out how to win the Quidditch cup? Find out the password? What do you want?" She was losing her composure quickly.

"Calm down, Audrey," The other girl had stepped forward now. "She's just a kid, only a first year…"

"But she – her – Adelaide, you know what they've…." The dark-haired Gryffindor, presumably Audrey, didn't seem to hear her friend; her eyes only saw Cassidra, who was now properly dumbstruck. She didn't understand what Audrey was talking about, but for some reason Cassidra was scared.

"Audrey, never mind! And you," Adelaide rounded on Cassidra, her voice reminiscent of Aunt Esta's when she was irritated. "Just stay away from her, all right? Come on, Audrey, it's all right." She then took Audrey's arm and hurried her down the opposite corridor, never looking back.

Cassidra was frozen, thoroughly shocked and confused as to what had just happened. At first, it only seemed like the girls had only been upset for her intrusion onto their conversation. But they way Audrey had acted, like Cassidra had done something to her personally…

It was probably nothing, Cassidra decided shakily as she continued down the hallway, the grand double doors blessedly coming into view. It was most likely a coincidence; maybe she reminded Audrey of someone. It was just a mistake. Her friend, Adelaide, hadn't seemed very concerned…

That was all it was. Just a mistake. Nothing to worry about.

No matter how much the scene in the corridor had scared Cassidra that first morning, it was soon forced from her mind as the first weeks of classwork descended mercilessly on the somewhat unprepared first years. In addition to coping with the endless moving staircases and vanishing walls that seemed intent on making Cassidra late for class, there were the courses themselves. Growing up in a magical household, Cassidra was used to hearing about such topics as potion-making, charms, and goblin wars. But it was somewhat different to be taught their origins and formulas with other students, some of whom were completely foreign to the concepts.

"I just don't understand it," Wendy had confided to Cassidra one afternoon, when they caught up in the hallway. "I mean, how does the apple just _turn _into an orange, just like that? I mean, I guess with cross-pollination, it could be possible, but…?" She looked at Cassidra wonderingly, who shrugged, not knowing an ounce about muggle science and its contrast to practical magic. To Cassidra, magic was simply the way things were done, and she had never stopped to consider that some of the other students had never been exposed to it. Of course, this was a sensitive topic – Cassidra herself had heard Draco Malfoy, a first-year boy in her house, complaining loudly only yesterday about the "muggle filth" Hogwarts was letting into the school nowadays.

"What do you have next?" Wendy asked as they rounded a corner, narrowly avoiding a collision with a particularly ill-placed statue of a plump, scowling warlock. Cassidra pulled her schedule from her satchel and scowled at the print.

"Er, Potions with the Gryffindors," Cassidra sighed and stuffed her schedule back in her bag. Despite the reputation Professor Snape had with favoring Slytherins, Cassidra was not a good example. Her potions skills were horrible, to say the least – last class, her sleeping solution had produced fumes so thick the other students couldn't even leave the dungeon until Professor Snape had siphoned them away with his wand. The last thing she wanted was to humiliate herself in front of the Gryffindors – they'd been giving Slytherin enough trouble as it was.

"Well, I'm up on the fourth floor, so guess I'll see you later, then," Wendy continued up the stairs while Cassidra headed toward the dungeons, already anticipating the mess she was likely to make in class.

When she reached the dungeons, Potions had not yet begun. The assorted students were scattered around the tables, laughing and arranging potion ingredients around their cauldrons. Cassidra took a seat near the back, noting that this was where the majority of the Slytherins sat, while the Gryffindors were situated mainly towards the front of the classroom. Both houses were generally ignoring each other, though every now and then a member of either group would shoot the other a surreptitious glance.

When Professor Snape swept into the classroom, his long black robes trailing behind him somewhat, Cassidra thought, like a veil, the classroom atmosphere shifted. The talking quieted down, mostly (one particularly giggly girl in the front row was still sniggering at something the boy next to her had done), and everyone sat up straight as if brittle wands had been taped to their backs.

"Today, in continuation with the study on brain-addling serums – be _quiet, _Miss Canter," Snape glared at the Gryffindor girl in front, who immediately stopped whispering and shrank back in her seat. "You will work in pairs to brew a forgetfulness potion. Pay special attention, this will be part of your final exams."

The classroom sprung up with chatter again as students moved around, picking partners to work with. Cassidra felt enormously uncomfortable as she watched each of the other Slytherin girls pair up, never once bothering to invite her to join them. Maybe she would have to work alone, or…

"Not a chance, Potter," Snape's silky voice carried across the room, and Cassidra turned to see him separating two Gryffindor boys: the redhead and, of course, Harry Potter.

"I won't have you two together. Weasley, you work with Longbottom, and Potter, you go with Malfoy."

"I've already got a partner, professor," Malfoy replied almost at once from the other side of the room, smirking unpleasantly at Harry.

"Fine," Snape's eyes drifted to Cassidra, and she knew immediately what was coming next. "Potter, you'll work with miss Calverdon." He shoved Harry in Cassidra's direction, Harry looking as if he would rather swallow a large quantity of swelling solution. Cassidra felt prickly heat shoot to her face, remembering the last time they had seen each other – on the boats up the castle, their first night at Hogwarts. Would he react the same way the girls in the corridor had, attack her and cut down her house?

"Right then," Cassidra said immediately as Harry sat down. She glanced up at the board to see what ingredients she needed, never once looking at Harry's face. Cassidra was intent on ignoring him for the whole period if need be, just as long as he didn't get a chance to say something horrible to her. "We'll have to let it simmer for five minutes before adding any of the more complex ingredients, but…how are you supposed to know how long to stew the dill solution before you add it?" The question was more to herself, so Cassidra was surprised when Harry answered, "I don't know, sorry."

Cassidra turned to Harry, who was sheepishly flipping through his copy of _Advanced Potion-Making, _his bespectacled green eyes skimming the pages.

"Right," Cassidra said again, slightly irritated by Harry's lack of initiative, but extremely grateful there hadn't been a trace of disdain in his voice. Harry seemed genuinely intent to work, same as Cassidra. She started adding the ingredients, trying her best to measure them correctly and wait the proper amount of time between stirs. She was _not_ going to start another fire. Harry stood by, watching, which admittedly made Cassidra rather nervous. She hated people to judge her work – especially in Potions.

"Have you ever done this before?" Cassidra finally asked as she stared uncomfortably into the cauldron's bubbling contents, which were still bright yellow instead of fading to tangerine like they should have. She hoped he had.

"No, never," Harry replied, quite as uncomfortably, which gave Cassidra a small sense of relief. At least he wouldn't boss her around. "Have you?"

Cassidra hesitated. He probably thought she had, since she was a Slytherin and Snape was her Head of House. But she hadn't; she was horrible. Was she going to tell him that? Harry seemed all right, not like those odd Gryffindor girls she had met in the hallway on the first day. He didn't flinch when she talked or give her odd looks. But still, she had just formally met him…and he didn't know her name…

"Well…" Cassidra fidgeted uncomfortably on her stool before she realized something that smelled horrible was belching from her cauldron. Too late, Cassidra realized that her forgetfulness potion had simmered too long and had caught fire, spewing oddly-colored smoke out of her cauldron, which was also starting to fold in on itself from the heat.

"Oh, no!" Cassidra desperately started flapping her arms above the fumes, only succeeding in casting the acrid smoke wider across the room. "Not again!"

Snape swept towards them, his eyebrows knitted with impatience. "What is it, Miss Calverdon? Not paying attention to the time?" He produced his wand, clearing away the smoke as he had done in Cassidra's last class before rounding on Harry, who was watching the whole scene with raised eyebrows.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter," Snape muttered before returning to his desk. "I thought you would have learned from last class to _be more alert._ "

"That's not fair!" Cassidra started to clean up the molten drippings of what was left of her cauldron that were smeared on the dungeon floor, her voice indignant. "It was my fault the cauldron exploded in the first place, he should have taken points from me!"

"No, he wouldn't take points from his own house," Harry said wryly, beginning to clean up the mess as well.

"Oh…I'm sorry," Cassidra finished feebly. Class was almost over, and the rest of the students were beginning to pack up their ingredients, bottling their potion samples to turn into Snape.

"It's nothing," Harry said quietly as he handed Cassidra her bottle of newt feet, which was now cracked. He paused, before a ghost of a smile flickered across his face. "Odd color of smoke, though, wasn't it?"

"Harry!" The redhaired Gryffindor boy was waving Harry over frantically, his eyes full of questions, sometimes flickering over to Cassidra. She tried not to make eye contact with him.

"See you, then," Harry said fleetingly to Cassidra, before picking up his satchel and joining his friend at the desk.

The students were leaving the classroom quickly, and Cassidra joined them, eager to leave the acrid air of the dungeon. She tried to look for Harry and his friend, to see if they were anywhere around, but they were lost in the throng of students now moving about the castle.

He seemed rather nice, a Gryffindor to a Slytherin, anyway_. Not at all like I thought he might_, Cassidra decided happily. _And, yes, it was a rather odd-colored bit of smoke…_

**A/N: Thanks a bunch to Luck O' the Irish Seamione for Jessica Canter, neffa for Audrey Dawson, and Naomi Hansen for Adelaide Durant! That's all I have to say, aside from thanks for the drop-in and REVIEW! **


End file.
